(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressed air operated ergonomic system used with a tape edge machine carriage employed in mattress manufacturing. The operator's arm, leg, knee, or foot can be used to stop the sewing operation and stop the carriage from moving around the table.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Tape edge machines are employed in the mattress making industry. Typically a horizontal adjustable table assembly is provided which receives a mattress to be sewn. At this stage of manufacture, the mattress has its interior components. The vertical border material surrounds the mattress. The mattress top and bottom portions are covered with the appropriate pads and outer material.
The table assembly has a top and a bottom guide track therearound. A carriage assembly is supported by the table assembly at the top guide track. The carriage assembly has a drive gear assembly which can engage the top guide track and move the carriage assembly around the table to fully encircle the mattress to be sewn. The carriage assembly has a roller assembly which rolls along the bottom guide track for carriage stability as the carriage assembly moves around the table. The carriage assembly contains the sewing machine used to sew the mattress edges.
In operation, the operator activates the drive gear assembly of the carriage assembly and activates the sewing machine needle and moves the carriage about the table to sew the top/side edge. The mattress is turned over and the operation is repeated to sew the bottom/side edge.
Known tape edge machines, such as, for example, the 72SNM & 100SNM made by the James Cash Machine Company, Inc. and the NR-E made by Fanghanel have knee pads which the operator can engage to stop sewing and stop the carriage assembly movement about the table. The knee pads are mechanically linked to a braking/clutch idling system and, for example, take about 7 pounds(3.2 kilgorams) of operator pressure to engage. It is also known to employ a small air compressor to provide sewing needle cooling.